gaudi's casa batllo reopens hidden apartment as gallery for contemporary art by mesura

"Casa Batlló, Antoni Gaudí's 1906 Barcelona landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site, adds a new layer to its long history with a permanent exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art. Opening on January 31st, 2026, the gallery occupies a 230-square-meter second-floor apartment that has remained closed to the public for decades. Barcelona-based studio Mesura restores the space and includes new architectural interventions. The inaugural exhibition, Beyond the Facade, will be staged by United Visual Artists (UVA), the London-based art practice founded by Matt Clark."

"The initiative, called Casa Batlló Contemporary, signals a major step in how the building engages with present-day culture. For the first time, Gaudí's modernist interiors will host two contemporary art shows annually, accessible either as part of the full visitor route or with a standalone ticket. According to program director Maria Bernat, the aim is to 'foster a dialogue between the past and future,' situating Gaudí's radical vision within a contemporary framework."

"The opening show will center on UVA's exploration of cycles of life through light and movement. Known for projects that merge art, architecture, and technology, UVA has previously exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, YCAM in Tokyo, and the Sydney Biennale. Their installation at Casa Batlló invites visitors to glimpse themselves within shifting patterns of light. The exhibition is paired with UVA's commission for the building's iconic facade: a new projection mapping piece created for the fifth edition of Casa Batlló's annual mapping festival."

Casa Batlló adds a permanent contemporary art gallery on a 230-square-meter second-floor apartment that has been closed to the public for decades. Barcelona-based studio Mesura restored the apartment and introduced new architectural interventions to adapt Gaudí’s interiors for exhibition use. The inaugural exhibition, Beyond the Facade, by United Visual Artists (UVA) centers on cycles of life through light and movement and pairs with a new projection-mapping commission for the building’s facade. Casa Batlló Contemporary will present two contemporary shows annually, accessible via the full visitor route or a standalone ticket, aiming to foster dialogue between past and future.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine